Caught
by emiliegirl
Summary: Because she was the stoic, rage-filled monster they feared. Not the giggling, cute woman they knew. And just because she didn't have a heart, it didn't mean she couldn't love.
1. Chapter 1

**Caught**

Chapter One

* * *

The bottle tightly clasped within her hand, Dahlia Hawthorne was hiding. Not really hiding, per say - someone could see her if they stood right in the middle of the room, and glanced towards the English section. But, for now, it was only herself in the room, and she was content with that. She studied the evidence in her hand, fingers running down the sides of the glass, and wondered how she was going to dispose of it.

It wasn't as if she could go back and stuff it back into the cabinets where it came from. Obviously _someone _would notice it, would notice how the poison had been emptied. It was only a matter of time until Doug found out, but she could handle him if things got out of hand. But what if the department found out it was missing? Perhaps she could shift the blame to someone else, someone who could _also _be easily disposable.

At the exact time the thought flitted through, a student from Ivy came through the doors.

Eyes narrowing, Dahlia shifted her position and peered at him through a crack in the shelf. Didn't she recognize him? If she did, it was only because they passed by each other briefly, most likely on campus. And, since it was a big campus, they'd probably have only seen each other a few times, at the most. So, basically, he was perfect.

Smoothing her hair down, it seemed a switch had gone off. She wasn't the dark-eyed raging monster she was a few moments ago. Now, she was red-cheeked, her eyes soft and warm, her aura glowing a warm, innocent shade. Her mental moods had changed as well (they had to, otherwise she'd be distracted by the thoughts of murder swimming around) and now she was twirling a lock of red hair around her finger, the bottle in her other hand forgotten.

Breathing in, she slowly stepped over to where the boy was reading something.

"Excuse me," she asked, and the tone sounded foreign, even to her ears. It was high, melodic - unlike the normal tone she usually carried. "I was just... um... over there, checking out things for school, and I was wondering.. well, I've seen you in school..." Her cheeks went red and she scratched the back of her neck, a sheepish look on her features.

He laughed, almost seeming awkwardly, and straightened his posture. "No, I've... I've seen you around campus. You're in literature, right?"

"Yes," she answered. "I'm doing research here. And I'm assuming you're here for Law, correct?"

"Yeah." He smiled at her, holding out his hand. "I'm Phoenix Wright, by the way."

"Dahlia Hawthorne," she answered brightly, letting him shake her hand. _Time to play up the charm. _The bottle suddenly felt heavy in her hand, and she wanted nothing more than to get rid of it. "I know it seems quite... _forward _of me to say this, but I need to get it off my chest. I know I've only seen you around a few times, but... I like you quite a lot."

A look of surprise flitted across his face. "_Really_?"

She tipped her head down. "Yes."

_I honestly hate you- _"We should hang out some time," he said brightly, and smiled at her. She couldn't help but return it, although inside she was feeling less than happy. "Here, just write down your number." He ripped off a piece of paper from the notebook he was holding and slid it to Dahlia, who grabbed a pen a pen off the table.

"Alright." She scribbled a random number off the top of her head, and passed it to him. "Here you go."

"I'll call you," he said, and went to turn, but Dahlia touched his arm.

"Um, I..." She bit her lip, wondering just how to go about this. "Just to make sure you don't forget to call me, here, have this." She unclenched her left hand, revealing the blue glass bottle. "I've been saving it for awhile... I know it's a necklace, and that's kind of girly, but please keep it... if you want. Just don't forget to call me, alright?"

She had pressed the bottle into his hand and darted away before he could even reply. Blowing air from her lips, it felt as if a weight had been lifted. Now all she had to do was wait a few weeks for the suspicion on her to subside, and then "accidentally" run into Phoenix, saying she wanted her necklace back and that she "happened" to lose her phone somewhere. _Accidents happen, right? Haha, well it was nice knowing you_. And then leave, never to be seen in this general area again.

Outside, she breathed in the cool air.

Somewhere, she hoped that stupid, idiotic defense attorney was dying slowly. It would make her feel better if she saw it somewhere in the news tomorrow, but she just had to hope for now. She flicked open her parasol, adjusted it, and started down the street, humming quietly to herself.

* * *

Coma.

All her hard work, and he had only been put into a stupid coma. She had almost throttled her source right there and then, but merely smiled. "Oh, is he? That's too bad," she had fibbed lightly, acting as if she was sympathetic, but in reality she was seeing dark spots. Her fists clenched, she had stormed out, feeling as though all her work had gone to waste. The stealing, the subtle pour into the coffee, giving the bottle off to the _damn_ student-

"Dahlia!" -who was right behind her.

Stopping, she turned, only to see the same Phoenix Wright from a week ago barreling down the street. Her anger increased tenfold, but she pushed it down, and smiled instead. _At least now she could get the bottle back_. "Phoenix," she said happily, her smile growing wider. "Have you forgotten to call me?"

"That's the thing," he told her, breathing roughly as he came to a stop in front of her. "I've tried calling you for the past _week_, and yet it keeps saying the number's not in service. Got any idea what that means?" He scratched his head.

"Oh, no," she said quietly. "I thought that might happen. I'm sorry-"

"No, it's okay!" he interrupted brightly. "Since we're here now, I can just ask you! Why don't we go see a movie tomorrow? I heard there's a really good new one downtown."

Dahlia brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Um... I don't know. You don't even know where I live-"

He shrugged. "I can just walk you home now and come back tomorrow. Easy as that."

Swallowing past a lump in her throat, Dahlia smiled again. "I'd love that, honestly, but I'm not planning on going right home. I have to run a few errands, pick up a few things for school-"

"That's fine!" She was starting to get annoyed at his interruptions. "I don't have anywhere to be."

_I hate you so much-_ "Actually, the errands can wait. You can walk me home." She looped her arm through his and they both started down the sidewalk again. Her parasol dangled limply on her other arm. "Thank you. No one's ever gone to so much trouble just to see me again."

"Really?" he asked curiously. "A girl as pretty as you?"

"I've had my fair share of stalkers," she mused, remembering one particularly nasty one back when she was fifteen. He had been promptly taken care of. "But I've never actually had a sweet guy pursue me. Most of them get bored if I don't respond, you know?" _Why couldn't you have been one of those guys?_

He laughed. "That must suck."

"You know it." She laughed with him, and then cleared her throat. Her eyes locked on the bottle hanging off his neck, and she gripped his arm tighter without knowing. "So, um... Remember the necklace I gave you? I was kind of wondering-"

"I've been wearing it every day since we've met," he said, and Dahlia resisted the urge to yell. _Can you _please STOP _interrupting me?_ "Haven't taken it off. Not once. It's actually quite nice, you know, once you get past the girly fact. But when people ask me about, I tell them that it's from a pretty girl, and they usually stop asking."

Her cheeks colored, besides herself. "Aw, how sweet. No, but-"

"So what have you been up to me?" he asked, glancing down at her. "You seem like a reading-in-nature-with-butterflies type of girl to me."

She laughed. "I do like butterflies," she said. "But I prefer to be inside."

"Really?"

"Really," she answered. Her mouth and cheeks were staring to become sore from smiling so much. "But I really should-"

"But I forgot to ask you!" _If you interrupt me one more time, I will claw your eyes out, with no regrets._ "What exactly where you researching in the reading room? There's not many good books there, and everything is centered around law. You don't seem like a true crime kind of reader or writer."

"You'd be surprised," she murmured.

"Huh," he said, seeming pleasantly surprised. "What were you reading about?"

"Oh, nothing," she said, and mindlessly shrugged. "Just about a small case way back when, about a strangling. Nothing too big." She yawned, and pointed to a row of apartment buildings in front of them. "I'm on the second floor, third one from the left. You can see, my window has the pink curtains in front of them..."

He nodded, taking them down in his head. "Alright. I'll be here tomorrow, at three."

"I'll be waiting."

Starting back down the way they came, he waved to her. "Bye, Dahlia!" he called, and she waved back, waiting until he was out of sight.

A sharp _huff _came from her lips, and she shook her head, brushing off her dress off. And the stupid idiot hadn't even given her a chance to ask if she could have the bottle back! No matter, she had tomorrow. Unless...

Brain ticking, she hurried upstairs, waving to an elderly woman who lived below her. Instead her own home, she hung up the parasol on her coat hanger and sat down, picking up the phone and dialing the number. Normally, they hadn't allowed phones at the Temple, but Dahlia had convinced Iris to get one, just in case. _For times like this_.

The phone rung for awhile, until finally a breathless voice answered. "Hello?"

"Iris," chirped Dahlia, gazing down at her fingernails. "I have to ask you something."

There was a rustle on the other end as Dahlia's twin found a place to sit. Dahlia thanked the heavens that Iris was dumb, and had never figured out that it was _her _idea to send her away to the isolated Temple. She had always blamed their father, and Dahlia liked it that way. "Okay, sure. I'm all ears."

Twirling her hair, Dahlia grinned. "You know how you've always wanted to visit my campus?"

"Yes."

"How about you come up here, then?" she asked. "Just for a few months, nothing major."

"Nothing _major_?" Iris asked, sounding skeptical. "I... I know you, Dahlia. You want something in return. What is it?"

A sharp laugh came from Dahlia's mouth. "Nothing big, dear sister. You just have to pretend to be me."

"Pretend to be you?"

"Don't worry, it'll be fun. I'll dye your hair, and teach you the ways of being Dahlia Hawthorne."

There was another rustle, and then a soft sigh as Iris considered everything. "Okay, I'll go. But _only _because I'd like to see the campus, and you." A scratching noise filled the speaker. "When should I come?"

"Tomorrow?" Dahlia hoped.

"I'd be there on Friday, at the latest if I left tomorrow morning," said Iris, and Dahlia sighed.

_I'll have to suffer through one date, won't I?_

"Alright, alright. Just call me when you arrive at the station." She hung up, slamming the phone back down, only to have another sharp ringing fill the air. _I swear, Iris, I will hurt you- _"What?" she asked, voice clipped.

"Dahlia. We need to talk."

* * *

**Ahh! I'm so nervous about this, haha. I've always loved Dahlia, and I was wondering what everything would be like from her POV. (I don't know if this has been done before, ha.) But I was also wondering what it would be like if she ended up actually caring for Phoenix, and possibly Iris - but that's pushing it.**

**So, I wrote this!**

**I know this chapter is short, but I'm currently writing more. ^^**

**Review~**


	2. Chapter 2

**Caught**

Chapter Two

* * *

Had the air suddenly gotten colder in the last few minutes or so? Dahlia stood with her heels together, fists clenched tightly around the base of her parasol, and glanced around. It had struck six a few moments ago (she could hear the church bells from her spot in the secluded alleyway) and she wondered why Doug was late. It didn't matter. His absence just meant she could spend more time calculating her response.

Her first attempt was going to be a "_I'm so sorry, I didn't know_" reaction. She would beg and plead and whimper and _hell_, she'd bring out the puppy-dog eyes she hated but people seemed to love. She'd make it seem as though she was horribly sorry for any trouble she caused, and she wanted nothing more than to just go home and rest. And, being the sucker he was, she knew he'd believe it.

If that didn't work, she'd pull the "regretful girlfriend" card. _I'm sorry, forgive me, I love you, please forgive me _and all that other crap she had gotten off bad soap operas her step-mother used to watch. She'd give him a pleading look, a nice, big hug, and possibly kiss him, and hopefully he'd re-think his ideas about yelling at her, forget about her possibly stealing a bottle of poison. If he even questioned her about the poison: "_Oh, what's that? I don't even know why'd I'd _need _such a thing_!"

And if worst comes to worst, she'd deploy her last resort: she'd show a little of her true self to him. She'd give him a small glimpse of the true Dahlia Hawthorne; if she gave him the full image, he'd possibly die, and she didn't want more on her plate - at least, not _right now_. But if she loosened her facade just a little to scare him into silence, it could work.

As she'd been thinking over her options, a small figure had come into the distance. Hunched over, hands in the pockets of that stupid leather jacket of his. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Dahlia lifted her arm, waving as he came further into view. She could now make out his hair, his shirt, and his features. He didn't wave back, merely looked at her, lips pressed together tightly. _Might have to be option two..._

"Doug," she said happily. "I'm so glad you called. It's been forever, hasn't it?"

"Don't act dumb, Dahlia," he said, voice clipped as he stared at her. "I didn't want to believe it was you, but I _saw _you with my own eyes! You had the bottle in your hand, and you kept looking around as you left... What did you need it for?"

Shaking her head as if she had no clue, she gazed up at him. "What bottle?"

"Dahlia, I swear..." He pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing deeply. "I don't want to keep arguing with you. I didn't say anything at first because I thought it could be for school, or something stupid. But then the newspaper, with the stupid article about Diego Armando... _You _were with him that day, Dahlia! That _day_!"

"You suspect me?" she asked, whimpering. "You think I put him in that coma?"

He ran a hand through his hair, messing up the bangs he had probably spent a few hours this morning perfecting. She knew he was vain about his hair. "What _else _is there to think? The facts are all right there, I just need... proof."

"And you don't have any," she yelped, trying to sound horrified. "Why are you making such accusations if you don't have any proof? I wouldn't do that! I can't even dream of hurting a _fly_, let alone some nice man who just wanted to clear up suspicion on me!"

"Dahlia, I-"

"Why would I kill the man who going to rid me of all the rumors surrounding a case? It would just add to the suspicion, wouldn't I?" She rubbed a hand at her eyes, which were - thankfully - starting to look red like she was going to cry. "I'm not that stupid, Doug, and I'm insulted to have you think I could kill someone."

His hands twitched by his sides. "Then what did you do with the poison?"

"Why do you keep insisting I took it-"

"Don't _lie _to me! I saw you take it! You can't just lie and say you didn't, when I clearly saw you leaving with it in your hand." Doug shook his head, refusing to listen to Dahlia's small whispered pleas. "Just tell me what you did with it."

_Last chance with option one._

The parasol dropping to the ground with a clatter, Dahlia darted forward, jumping up just enough to wrap her thin arms around Doug's neck. She sobbed into Doug's neck, her tears feeling fake even to her, and shook her head. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to take it. I didn't know it was poison until after I opened it! Some girl told me it was useful for cooking." She sniffed again.

Obviously, her plan wasn't working - he remained stiff, even after she flashed him her puppy eyes.

"Dahlia, someone in my department wouldn't give you false knowledge. Even if they hated you. They wouldn't just tell someone that a poison capable of _killing people _was something that could be used in cooking." He looked tired. "Can't you please just tell me the truth?"

_Plan two in action._

Fingers flexing, Dahlia made sure her lower lip wobbled. "Okay, you're right. No more lies. I... I'm writing a novella for class. In the story, a character dies of poisoning. And... it seemed nothing on the internet was helping, and I wasn't sure- I'm _sorry_! I took advantage of the fact that you, my boyfriend, worked in the lab, so I snuck in and stole some. I used it on a plant, that's it!"

Doug looked appeased. "Is that all you used it for?"

She sniffed, rubbing at her eyes. "Yes."

"Thank you for telling me the truth." It was his turn to grab her - he pulled her in for a tight hug, squeezing her small body. She wondered why he was doing so, until he released her. "But you know... after this whole thing... I think we should take a break. At least for a few weeks, you know? Possibly a month. It'll be better."

Bending to pick up her parasol, Dahlia managed a shaky smile. "I agree with that." _It'll make dating that idiot, Phoenix, a whole lot easier._

"Good."

They seemed to stand there awkwardly until Dahlia leaned up on her toes to kiss his cheek. She tried her hardest to make it at least _seem _that she was upset that they were on a break. "I'll miss you," she said softly, and then turned, squaring her shoulders, and then started off down the sidewalk, back down to her apartment.

All in all, the encounter had gone well. She had expected to at least have to glare at him until he realized she wasn't _all _sugar and butterflies, but he had accepted her explanation without needing proof. That was one of the reasons she ever tolerated Doug in the first place (besides her need to get into the lab). But she doubted this was the last time she'd ever see him.

It could only get worse after a break, right?

She arrived at her apartment door only to find Phoenix Wright talking with the elderly lady. She stopped, eyes wide, when Phoenix noticed her. "Dollie!" _Please don't tell me you came up with a stupid nickname for me_. "I was talking with Norma here-" That was her name? Dahlia hadn't bothered to remember it, if she had been told it, "-and I was just wondering where you were."

"Just out," she said gently. "I totally forgot about our date today."

"Oh." He looked disappointed, but became his cheery self again. "That's fine. I'll just wait while you get ready." He turned again. "Bye, Norma! Don't forget to feed your dog!" The older woman just smiled and went into the elevator, leaving Dahlia to wonder what the hell they were talking about.

She coughed. "I'll just... open the door, then."

Moving forward, she slipped her hand under the doormat and grabbed the key. Phoenix watched her, raising an eyebrow. "You shouldn't do that. Someone could just... steal your stuff." She wasn't worried about that - she had little to nothing in her apartment, aside from bare essentials, like food and clothing, and stuff in the bathroom. The books and other small things were either stolen or received from Iris, and she didn't care what happened to them.

"I know," she replied, if only to please him, and pushed open the door. She hung up her parasol on the coat hanger, and pointed towards the couch. "You can sit there while I get ready. Just, um... don't mess anything up?" she asked hopefully, smiling.

"Of course not!" He sat down on the couch, knocking off some of the more decorative pillows, and Dahlia almost face-palmed.

Heading inside her own room, she shut the door, rubbing her face with her hand. _Please, someone tell me what I did to be in this situation. Actually... don't. _She adjusted the hem of her dress, pulling it down and smoothing it. Her hair looked a bit messy, and as she ran a brush through it, she realized she _actually _liked the color.

It had been a nuisance growing up. When you're surrounded by people who all had neat, black/brown hair, you felt out of place. Then again, Dahlia always felt out of place, somehow. Life was never good. And apparently whoever put her in this position wasn't just happy with giving her a family who didn't care for her - they needed her to stand out, to show who she was. So she was the misfit, the One With The Red Hair.

Rolling her eyes at her lament, Dahlia fixed the braids resting on top of her head.

Pressing her hands around her dresser, she found the small pair of earrings she had stolen from a girl who had lived next to her for awhile. She pushed them in, smirking at the memory of a twenty year old blonde questioning whether she left them at her parents or at the bar. Dahlia looked around, trying to find a necklace to match.

Speaking of which, where was the necklace she had given to Phoenix? She had been too distracted by his overall presence to look at his neck. Would he really be so silly as to where a girly necklace that she had given him? She chuckled. _You had to give him props for dedication to get the girl he wants._

Leaving the room, she smiled charmingly. "Okay, all ready."

"Alright." He hopped off the couch - she noticed with some alarm he had been balancing a picture of her and Doug on his knee - and got up, offering her his hand. She almost didn't want to take it, but she pushed herself, placing her own slender fingers in his hand. "So there are two movies we can see - a rom-com, or a horror."

She twirled her fingers through her silky hair. "Doesn't matter to me. Whatever you want."

"You sure? If you want to see a chick flick, I don't mind-"

"Horror is fine, Phoenix," she said happily, smiling at her as her eyes closed. She had realized early on in her life that if you smiled, let the blood rush to your cheeks, tilted your head, and closed your eyes, you could have any guy wrapped around your finger in no time. Needless to say, she had done the move plenty of times. "I don't mind, honestly."

Removing his hand from hers, he slung it around her shoulders. "I've never met a girl who passed up a chick flick."

She giggled. "Really?"

They talked about nothing at all as they made their way to the theater. She honestly hated their conversation, but couldn't help but input some of her own opinion into it. She had never, _ever _let her true self leak into the conversation before, but sometimes having an opinion makes you do dumb things. She locked herself up more carefully afterwards, feeling as if she stepped over some invisible line.

Phoenix glanced at the long line. "Why don't you go grab the food and I'll buy the tickets."

"I wouldn't know what to get you," she said softly. "I don't eat during movies, so how about you grab the food and I'll buy the tickets?" After some coaxing he finally handed her over the money, jogging over to the food stand.

Dahlia turned back to the line and tapped the man who was second-in-line.

"Excuse me, sir," she said, her eyelashes fluttering. "I'm terribly sorry to bother you, but my legs are hurting from standing so long. I'd just love it if I could hop in and buy my tickets. I wouldn't trouble you at all, I promise."

He nodded at her. "Of course, sweetie. Go right ahead." He moved back so she could step in front.

_Hah. Men._

Passing the money to the woman in front, who had adopted a strange look at the scene, gave her the two tickets. Dahlia gave a small smile and then found Phoenix standing at the front of the building. "Here you go," she said proudly, handing him his ticket.

He thanked her, and the two went in.

"Where do you want to sit?" he asked, looking around.

It wasn't too crowded. Dahlia lifted a finger, pointing to the back. He nodded and the two moved past people to grab the two seats in the middle of the last row. The lights, which were still on, reflected dimly on the necklace around his neck. All she wanted to do at the moment was reach over and rip it off, which, she knew, would be unwise.

Flexing her fingers to keep them from doing anything, she smiled at Phoenix. "I hope it's good."

Next thing she knew, the lights had dimmed, and everything was submerged in darkness. She shifted her seat, leaning just ever so slightly towards Phoenix. Perhaps, while he couldn't quite see her, she could get the clasp undone-

Light from the movie screen poured in, and Phoenix turned, only to see Dahlia with her back hunched, fingers like claws, aiming for his neck. He looked a bit uneasy. "What's the matter?"

She blushed. "I, um... uh... wanted to hug you. I just didn't-"

"Oh," he responded cheerily, and brought her in for a hug. Dahlia remained like that, awkwardly hunched over, her cheek being poked by his shoulder for the rest of the movie. The rage boiling inside her did nothing to help her mood towards him.

_I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you-_

"The movie's over," Phoenix said next to her, and Dahlia blinked. She had been so busy repeating her mantra that she hadn't noticed the credits soar by and the lights click on. They were the only ones in the theater now, and she looked embarrassed.

Touching her lips, she laughed sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I must have dozed off."

"It's no problem," he told her, and they both got up, making their way down the stairs. "You looked so cute I didn't want to leave you."

_And how does one reply to that? _"...Oh?" she said, opting to use her voice as her answer. It sounded high and melodic, sweet and charming, just like she planned. By the look on his face, he probably hadn't even heard what she had said, and she preferred it that way.

Back at the apartment, however, Dahlia was screaming inside. On the walk home, she had tried several times to grab the necklace without bringing up attention to herself, and each time, it failed. By the end of the night, she just wanted to strangle him with it, and run off with the bottle. _I could let Iris take the blame for me._

Tilting her head, she smiled at him. "Thank you again for such a wonderful time."

"It was no problem," he said, smiling at her. "We should go out again."

_I don't think I could suffer through something like that again. _"I'd like that." _Maybe I'll tell Iris to go on a few dates just to make it look like I actually care about him_.

They stood in silence for a few seconds more. She noticed that he was leaning a bit closer than she cared for. _Oh_. He wanted to kiss her, didn't he? Dahlia inwardly cringed, and slowly took a step back. "Well," she said softly, her cheeks coloring, "It's been a nice night." She stepped into her apartment and closed the door, waiting a few seconds so he could leave.

Hopefully, he'd take her quick evasion as a sign of nothing else but a shy girl.

But, in her rush to get away, she'd forgot to ask him if he had the necklace back. Cursing, she ripped open the door, only to find the hallway deserted. _I'd expect him to at least stay a few more minutes. _Pressing her fingers to her temple, she shut the door, leaning against it. She had no plans about staying around here any longer, but she needed the bottle...

She pushed away from the door, heading towards the phone.

_Iris needs to prepare herself for a boyfriend. _

* * *

**Oh. My. Goodness.**

**All the reviews made me happy and I just couldn't help but write! Seriously, though, if reviews like that keep coming in as much as they were yesterday, I'd have a chapter out every day. Maybe every other day. And that's hard for me. But, for reviews, I'd do it.**

**Also, a few notes:**

**In order to keep with my concept, a few things will have to change. First, in order for any **_**real **_**feelings to develop, Dahlia will need to meet with Phoenix a few more times than she actually did in canon. And the same goes with Iris. I'm going to be stretching the months out too, so that's a lot of chapters right there. And, because of the developments with Dahlia, Trials and Tribulations will be a bit different, too.**

**Sorry about any spelling or grammar errors!**

**-Emilie**


	3. Chapter 3

**Caught**

Chapter Three

_Only one more day until Iris comes, and then I'm out of here._

Stretching her arms above her head, Dahlia attempted to push sleep from her brain. She hated the feeling of waking up, how it dulled your senses - in her mind, you always had to be on your toes, just in case. She yawned, looking to her right. The window was just slightly open, letting in the nice fall air. The morning would have been perfect had it not been for the bird chirping on the tree outside. She rolled her eyes.

In about two hours she'd have to meet Hannah outside at the coffee shop down the street. She hated people, it was obvious - but she needed to keep up social appearances. Nothing screamed suspicious more than if she just suddenly cut off all ties with people. And, Hannah Oakley, the biggest gossiper who ever set foot in Ivy University, was the perfect person to spread word that she was having iced tea with Dahlia Hawthorne.

Dahlia mentally groaned. _She was not looking forward to this_.

By the time she arrived, Hannah was already on her second coffee and was chatting up a man she had most likely just met. Dahlia refrained from rolling her eyes. "Hannah. It's so nice to talk to you," Dahlia said, her voice taking on that fake high tone again. Her eyes flicked to the man's. "And you too, mister."

"Dahlia, this is Kevin... something. Kevin, this is my best friend, Dahlia Hawthorne." Hannah introduced them with sparkling eyes.

_I am not your best friend_. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kevin." She managed a blush and gestured towards the long line growing. "I should probably get my drink now, so-"

Hannah made a movement with her hand. "It's no need, Kevin's got it. Right?"

Kevin nodded, and Dahlia almost laughed at the way he was so mindlessly following orders. "Hazelnut coffee seems wonderful," she mused, and then nodded. "So that's what I'll get. Just bring me whatever sugars they have at the front, and I'll choose." She ducked her head, cheeks flaming. "If that's o-okay with you."

"Of course." And he was off.

Hannah giggled, hiding her mouth behind her hand. Her nails, Dahlia noticed, were a multitude of colors; pink, purple, blue, green, yellow. It looked hideous to Dahlia, but she supposed dumb people liked dumb things. "He's so clueless, isn't he? Clueless, but _hot_. Anyways, how have you been? It's been like... forever."

"It has, hasn't it?" Dahlia forced herself to giggle. "Not much has happened."

"Really? That's too bad." Hannah looked up, and started counting things off her fingers. "A whole lot of things have happened to me. I got a new dog, bought some more clothes, managed to reveal to the whole school that Kelly was sleeping with Andrew, and I also got a boyfriend!"

Dahlia's thoughts were a mixture of _You're a stupid idiot and I honestly can't believe I'm wasting my time with you _and _What happened to Luke_? Instead, she gave a tight-lipped smile and tilted her head. "That's nice."

Eyes narrowed, the blonde tapped her fingers on her cup. "Have you gotten a boyfriend yet?"

"Oh no, I haven't met anyone." She blushed, and mentally made sure no one found about Phoenix. _At least not yet._ She didn't want anyone bombarding her about him, but that didn't mean Iris couldn't handle it, right? She'd sent a quick call as she left, telling her all about this new guy she was dating - and let Iris handle the rest.

"Too bad. You're pretty enough it shouldn't be that much trouble."

"I don't know... I've been studying a lot."

"You and your school," Hannah said, laughing as if the whole idea of school was a joke. Dahlia still could not understand how such a dumb girl could still be passing. Even though Dahlia herself had no interest whatsoever in academics, she was still smart enough she could pass without an issue. Hannah, however, was an idiot and didn't want to study, so why wasn't she failing?

_Money, most likely._

Leaning back, Hannah tossed her hair over her shoulder, and the two chatted a moment longer. Kevin appeared, and in his hands, Dahlia's coffee. The redhead thanked him and took it, taking a few short moments to pour in whatever sugar she grabbed first, and took a sip. Tasty, but she really only drank stuff like this whenever she went out.

Clasping her hands around the container, Dahlia smiled. "So, who's your boyfriend?"

"Matt Thompson?" Hannah smiled brightly, revealing rows of bright white teeth. "Have you seen him? He's so attractive! Kind of hard to keep a conversation with, though..." _Must be really dumb then, if even _you _can't talk to him._

Dahlia nodded, humoring her.

Hannah drummed her fingers on the plastic table. "So, how are you and Doug? I haven't seen you two together in awhile... You guys never were one for public affairs though, but still." That was true. Ever since they started dating, Dahlia had made sure to keep the whole relationship on the low. Doug had never seemed to mind, but Hannah had always found it odd.

"Well," Dahlia replied, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear, "We're kind of taking a break."

"Really?" Hannah seemed surprised. "Why don't you just break up?" Her nose was wrinkled, and Dahlia knew the whole prospect of "taking a break" was foreign to her. Either you were dating or you weren't, in her book. You couldn't still be loyal to a person if you weren't together; otherwise it was stupid. Dahlia honestly wanted to murder the stupid girl at times.

Sighing, Dahlia shrugged. "I still love him, I think," she fibbed.

"Aww," Hannah cooed. "How cute." She leaned closer, her hair creating a curtain around them. Dahlia's nose twitched; she hated the proximity. _Do you really think getting closer to me will help you whisper? Your voice is as loud as a blowhorn_. "To be honest, I think I still love Phil. Can you _believe _it?"

Lightly, Dahlia touched her lips with her hand. "Really?"

Hannah nodded. "Really."

"You're too good for him."

"No _sir_!"

The rest of the conversation was spent with meaningless small talk. Dahlia didn't retain half the information, but she nodded sympathetically and added a "oh" or a "really?" where it felt needed. Finally, when she felt her brain was going to burst from pure stupidity, Dahlia lifted a hand. "Well, I have to get going. Got some tests coming up and-"

"Say no more," Hannah said, holding up a hand. "Get going, A+ student!"

Dahlia smiled. "Thank you. Bye."

She slipped out of her tall chair, trashed her coffee, and headed towards the door. She was yanked back, and realized Hannah was hugging her, tightly. Dahlia, who had only hugged people when absolutely needed (like Doug, for instance) felt awkward, and her eyes bulged. Almost as if on command, she raised on arm and patted Hannah's shoulder, hoping it conveyed some sort of happiness.

"I'll see you later!" the blonde chirped, and then skipped back to Kevin.

Still shaken, the redhead turned and headed out the door, feeling stiff. _There, though_. She had used up her hugging amounts for the next year or so. She rubbed her shoulder and started down the sidewalk, hoping the water would be warm when she turned on her shower to get rid of the Hannah germs.

"Dollie!" _Oh hell no. My life can't be that bad, can it_? Phoenix jogged up meet her, crossing the street. _It can. _"I saw you across the street. Where are you coming from?" He looked down the road from where she had came from.

"Just having coffee with a friend," she told him truthfully.

"What friend?" he asked.

_Nosy? _"Hannah Oakley," she told him. "Do you know her? Tall, blonde-"

"Doesn't everyone?" Phoenix joked, and Dahlia laughed.

This would have been a small thing, a minor action that was normally overlooked. But the action was so _large _that Dahlia's heart stopped for a brief moment. She actually _laughed_. It hadn't been a forced gesture, or something that she did merely for Phoenix's benefit. It actually spilled from her lips, a real, true emotion, something she didn't force, something that just... happened.

She felt sick.

How long had it been since she actually laughed at something _funny_? She'd laughed before, of course - but it had always been something morbid, something horrible. She couldn't remember a time when she laughed at a joke. And now, now that she was laughing at a joke, she didn't feel... herself. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and took in a shaky breath.

Phoenix, having noticed the change, peered at her. "Are you alright? Do you feel sick?"

"Oh, no, I'm fine," she answered as brightly as possible. _Thank goodness_. She was back to faking, back to lying. It felt... good. She went straight, arms falling away to her sides, and beamed at the confused man. "Sorry about that. Just a brief slip, I suppose."

"Oh." He nodded. "I should wake you back, just in case."

"If you want."

As they walked back, side-by-side, Dahlia couldn't help but steal small glances towards Phoenix. Why couldn't it had been someone _else _to make her finally laugh? She didn't like the whirlpool of emotions swirling around in the pit of her stomach. He was disposable, someone she didn't care about... and now what?

No, he was still nothing. She was sure of that.

They arrived at her apartment, and Dahlia thanked him gently. She rubbed her shoulder. "Thank you for walking me home. I feel better now. I'll see you... soon?" _Iris, take the wheel. _

He grinned at her. "Of course."

They stood in silence for a moment. She would have left earlier, but her eyes had slowly but surely been drawn to the necklace. _One more time, right_? She was going to ask about it, but suddenly two arms had been wrapped around her, and Dahlia Hawthorne was hugged for the second time in a _day_.

_He mistook my lingering for attraction! No!_

Knowing it'd be odd if she didn't move, Dahlia slowly brought her hands up to rest on her back. Her cheeks were aflame, and her mind was churning... with rage, mostly. If she had to admit it to herself though, it was ten times better than Hannah's hug. She closed her eyes, opting to suffer through it for however long it'd take.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, he released her.

"I'll see you later, Dollie!" And he left, leaving a confused and bewildered Dahlia.

* * *

Iris hadn't changed much.

They still looked the same. Mirror images, Dahlia noted, and felt disgust rise up in her. Being a nuisance wasn't the only reason Dahlia had Iris banished to the Temple. It was because there could only be one of her, and she hated having a carbon copy follow her everywhere.

Of course, they weren't exactly similar. Whereas Dahlia prided herself on being cold, detached, and crude, Iris was kind, warm, and caring. She had taken every trait Dahlia had lost. She was almost perfect, and yet Dahlia hated her more than anyone.

But she was useful.

"Dahlia, it's been forever," Iris gushed, stepping off the train. She had a few bags in her hands, nothing major. Dahlia had warned her on the phone not to bring much, because she'd be using Dahlia's clothes, in order to fully pull off her personality. "How are you?"

"Good," Dahlia said lightly. "Ready to go home?"

"Yes, but one thing." Iris rushed to catch up to her twin, who had already started away. "I just... I was thinking about it on the train, and I have to say this before I forget. I... I'm doing this for you. Not because I think you deserve my kindness, but... I _care _for, Dahlia. You have a reason to be this way, don't you? I feel bad for you.

Being neglected by our parents... I had Bikini, you know. You... had no one. I don't want you to keep sinning, Dahlia. So, while you wait for everything to die down on... whatever you did, I'll do this. For you." Her fists had clenched and her eyes shone with something Dahlia couldn't place.

But Dahlia Hawthorne was speechless.

"Errr... thanks?" she managed after a moment.

_Iris... you idiot._

* * *

**Done!**

**Once again, reviews powered me! Thanks everyone. c: My goal is for this story to become popular. Do you think it'll happen? I don't know, but I have faith for this story! I'm excited. **

**So you finally see feelings brewing in Dahlia. **

**It'll take a bit, but it'll come out soon.**

**Sorry for grammar and spelling mistakes.**

**Love you all so much!**

**- Emilie**


	4. Chapter 4

**Caught**

Chapter Four

Iris had wanted to talk at a coffee shop, but Dahlia had firmly insisted on staying inside the apartment. She couldn't risk anyone hearing what she had to tell her twin. It was going to stay between the two of them... for now. It would stay secret until they both died, or until the police got ahold of Iris. Either way, Dahlia was more content safely within her own home.

Settling down on the couch, Dahlia tapped her fingers on her chin. "Where should I start?"

"From the beginning," Iris told her, nodding. "Tell me what caused you to commit the crime that you did. I _need _to know the crime, Dahlia. Otherwise I wouldn't be a suitable replacement for you. What if I needed to answer questions?"

"Firstly, if someone asked me questions pertaining towards the crime, I'd lie."

Looking a bit fallen, Iris gave her twin a pointed look. "That's not the point."

Clearing her throat, Dahlia leaned back into the cushions and nodded. "I suppose, though, it would be easier if I just came clean to you." Eyes narrowed, full of dark, cloudy evilness, Dahlia gazed at her copy. "If you so much as _breathe _a word of this to the wrong people, I will kill you without a second thought."

Iris gulped, nodding, cheeks flushed. "Y-yes, o-okay- I mean, I w-won't!"

"Okay, so it starts off with the jewel heist, I guess," Dahlia replied, and glanced wryly at Iris. "The one you bailed on, remember?"

"I just didn't want to be an accomplice to that," Iris protested, her cheeks red and hot.

"Whatever you say, dear sister." Leaning up, Dahlia let her head fall in her hands. "So, as you know, my step-sister and I managed to steal a jewel from father, which, might I say, has made me quite rich. I thought we were in the clear after that, but that _stupid _Terry Fawles wanted to speak to Valerie about everything. And being the idiot _she _was, she agreed.

Of course I got on eventually. I over-heard the calls, and I intercepted her at the meeting spot. I _killed _her, Iris, killed her and stuffed her in the trunk of his cars. Then, all I had to do was leave a little tip with the police. Then he was arrested."

Iris was listening, looking a little pale.

"I became a witness to the whole crime, of course. I was under the alias Melissa Foster, and I had convinced Fawles not to blow my cover. Then that _stupid _Mia Fey - yes, Iris, I know that's your last name - almost convinced everyone it was me. Thankfully, Fawles managed not to cooperate and poisoned himself instead. Pretty clever, don't you think?" She examined her nails as if they were talking about the weather.

Unlike her sister, Iris felt sick. She had no clue her sister could be this... horrible. Fists clenched, Iris refused to be dismayed. She had to be strong! Dahlia was on the wrong path, and maybe a few months by herself could change her horrible attitude! Yes, she had to believe that.

Dahlia continued. "It seemed, however, that my luck stopped there. Mia was still suspicious about me, so she and that defense attorney Armando something opted to interview me. I said yes, and we ended up in the courtroom cafeteria. He's obsessed with coffee, so I had grabbed some poison from Doug's lab... You know who Doug is, don't you?"

Iris shook her head.

"He _was _my boyfriend, if only for the sole purpose of getting into the lab. We're on a "break" now, but I don't see any reason why we should get back together. Anyways, I poisoned his coffee, and Armando only ended up in a coma." Dahlia looked livid for a moment, but then swallowed it. "I had made the bottle of poison in a necklace beforehand in order to get it into the court. I rushed out, confused, and made it to the reading room."

"Reading room...?" Iris questioned.

_Are you stupid? _"It's where they keep old articles," Dahlia dismissed. "Anyways, I ran into this student named Phoenix Wright, and in order to keep the poison off my person, I gave him the necklace. Long, boring, horrible story short, we're dating, and I still have not managed to get back the necklace. That's _your _job, Iris. Okay?"

"To, what...?" Iris seemed apprehensive. "To be a good girlfriend, or something?"

"I could care less about how much of a good girlfriend you are," Dahlia retorted. "The only thing I care about is getting back the necklace. After you get it back, I don't care what you do with him, but I _will _break things off if you haven't when I get back. Okay?"

"O-okay," Iris said after a long moment.

Nodding, Dahlia snatched a notepad off the counter and started scribbling down names. "Here are the people you'll probably associate with. You can take one day off to be alone, but no more than that."

"Why?" Iris sounded perplexed.

"It'll be suspicious if I stop talking to people, and I don't want to take any chances," Dahlia answered. "Besides, don't you want to finally have friends?"

Feeling a bit upset at her words, Iris nodded meekly.

"Alright, so, if you think you want to have an off-day, you might want to visit the day before with Hannah Oakley. She'll spread your existence all over campus, so people know what you've been up to. _Do not _ruin your friendship with her. Otherwise, you'll be ridiculed for months. I've seen what she can do to people. Makes a girl jealous," Dahlia chirped, and Iris shivered.

"Then there's Doug..." Dahlia chewed her lower lip for a moment. "Try not to associate with him, okay? It'll be better if you just avoid him. But if you do happen to run into him, do not try and rekindle our relationship. It'll be better just to say you need more time... and eventually he'll take the bait and break it off for good.

"There's a few other friends that you could probably spend a day with, just to make sure they don't get too angry you're not spending time with them." Dahlia rattled off a few names, and scribbled them down.

Iris nodded, taking it all in.

"And last... Phoenix Wright." Tapping the pen across the table, she thought for a moment. "He shouldn't be that hard. Depending on whatever he says to you, try for at least one date a week until you can get the necklace. The rest, like I said, is up to you."

Taking it all in, Iris smoothed her skirt. "Okay."

Raising an eyebrow, Dahlia look at Iris' fashion disaster. A dark sweater, long skirt... nothing Dahlia would ever be seen in. "I guess it's time to talk about your clothing, hmm? Come on." She hopped up off the couch, heading towards the bedroom.

Iris, a bit beyond words, hurried to follow.

The closet wasn't big, but then again, Dahlia hadn't exactly cared much about what was in the room before she bought it. She needed something small, something close to Ivy. And this was it. Not too big, not too small, and cheap. She opened the doors, looking at the clothing she had decided to keep for Iris.

A dress here, a skirt here... everything she would have normally worn.

"What are you going to wear?" Iris questioned. "You know... while you're... away."

"Clothes I wouldn't normally wear, obviously," Dahlia retorted, shaking her head. "And I'm not going to be Dahlia Hawthorne while I'm away. I'll probably be Melissa Foster again. I have an ID already set up, a bank account, and a nice hotel room somewhere across the country." She grinned. "I got everything all set."

Iris was quiet.

Dahlia didn't know why she changed around Iris. It was a question that came up a lot, but she could never answer it. After all, she was just another disposable puzzle piece, wasn't she? It was probably because Iris had seen parts of Dahlia she hadn't shown another person in years. That was the most logical answer. It made her feel weird to know that, without meaning to, Iris changed her, just a little.

Leaning up, Dahlia nodded. "So... yes. This'll be your clothes for six months."

"Six months?" Iris swallowed. "That long."

Dahlia gave her twin a pointed look. "Do you want to bail on me again?"

Turning pink, Iris shook her head. "No."

* * *

Picking up the bag from the ground, Dahlia tossed it over her shoulder. "Well, Iris... It's been..." _Not too nice, I suppose_. "Anyways, I'll see you in six months. Take care of my apartment, will you?"

"Of course," Iris answered solemnly.

_It's not that intense, I swear_. Brushing a lock of hair over her shoulder, Dahlia nodded. "Alright, then. Goodbye." She turned to leave.

"Dahlia, wait!"

Dahlia only had time to assume the worst before Iris was hugging her, arms wrapped tightly around her sister. This was the third time in two days, and yet it hadn't gotten any more tolerable. She winced, biting her lip. Iris was like a snake, arms constricting tighter until Dahlia felt she wasn't able to breathe.

Able to act a bit more loosely around her sister, Dahlia wrenched herself from Iris' grip and moved back. "Uh, I... Bye, Iris." She turned, leaving through the door.

_Whatever._

Finally gone, Dahlia didn't want time dwelling on the hug. She shut the door, headed outside, and stopped for a moment, breathing in. _I can finally rid myself of this stupidness for six months... _She shook her head, cleared her thoughts, and started down the street. How long did she have until the train left? A half-hour-

"Dollie!"

_Should I kill myself now, or after? _Grimly, Dahlia waited until Phoenix was closer to smile. "It seems we once again meet up outside." She clenched her bag a bit tighter once she noticed Phoenix's eyes on it. Likewise, her eyes were yet again drawn to the necklace that had escaped her reach so many times.

"Are you going somewhere?" he questioned.

"Um, no. I'm just dropping this off to a friend," Dahlia said after a quick second of thinking. "She left at it my house. It's a project we were working on." She giggled lightly. "Can't leave that at home, can you?"

"Some of the teachers would kill you if you missed a project," Phoenix said, and Dahlia laughed, more so because Phoenix looked dead serious about his statement.

"Well, anyways, I should probably get going..."

"Oh, okay." He smiled at her and when she realized he was going to hug her again, she almost ducked. But she stopped herself just in time and let him wrap his arms around her again, pulling her close. She sniffed, feeling a bit claustrophobic. The bag dropped when he squeezed tighter, and it fell next to her feet.

When he leaned back, Dahlia realized he was going to kiss.

She had a heart attack when she realized there was no way she could get out of this one.

His lips touched hers, and out of reflex, she dug her nails into his back. Thankfully, he was wearing a jacket, so he couldn't tell. Dahlia's eyes were shut tightly, and in her head she was mentally counting the seconds until it was over. Finally, when she thought she couldn't stand it any longer, he pulled away, leaving her breathless, and not in the good way either.

"See you later, Dollie." And he left.

_Not later, idiot_. Once he was out of sight, she ran her hand across her mouth, making a mental note to possibly burn her lips off later. She picked up her back, squared her shoulders, and marched off towards the station, the same one that Iris had come on earlier. She rushed past people, gave her ticket to the machine, got inside, and waited.

A few moments later, she had realized that she had missed her train.

_You're definitely dying now, Phoenix Wright._

* * *

**Hmm... I don't like this chapter too much. I had to introduce Iris, of course, and have the two chat about what's been going on. That was good. It can start the healing process... but that'll take awhile, anyways. And then I wanted Dahlia to feel even more conflicted about Phoenix, and thus the kiss. And then I wanted Dahlia to stay just a bit longer, if only to talk to Iris some more.**

**And yay, reviews! I've literally read them ten million times.**

**-Emilie**


	5. Chapter 5

**Caught**

Chapter Five

Dearest Dahlia,

I'm kind of new to this email thing, so please bare with me! The keys on this computer are a bit small... Isn't this risky? I know you told me I shouldn't include incriminating stuff in this email anyways, but... I don't know. It's kind of better I'm doing this on a public computer then! Not to mention my name is different... That was stupid, sorry.

So... my first week. It's gone pretty well, in my opinion! Hannah's been so nice to me. I know you say she's nothing but rude but she's been kind! Some of the things she says to other people are a bit... un-kind... but I don't think she means it. She bought me a coffee today (she says Hazelnut is your favorite, so thank goodness she didn't ask me!) and told me what was going on on the campus. That's useful, isn't it? I'm all up to date on gossip, so I'm prepared!

I also saw Phoenix Wright a few days ago. I don't know what you meant when you said he was an ugly, oblivious freak. I think he's very nice, and quite cute! (Hee, hee!) He called me Dollie, and we talked for a long time! (Is Dollie his nickname for you? Maybe I should come up with one for him?)

I don't think there's much else to alert you on. I'm fine, and keeping up with work... Speaking of keeping up with work, how do you do it? You're farther along than most people on homework and projects, but it's so tough! I don't know if I can keep your good grades up! I'm trying of course - I wouldn't go down without a fight.

Anyways, I think that's it. More next time!

Love,

Iris

* * *

Iris,

You are an idiot. I suppose I shouldn't be too shocked - I didn't give you much of a guideline on this whole email thing, and I'm just glad you sent it without too many spelling errors. I wonder how long it took you to type. I literally laughed for a good three minutes thinking of you sitting there, tapping one button for minute, and having to ask for _help _on how to space, or place commas. (If you're sitting there thinking "you're mean!", then it was true, wasn't it?)

On the topic of Hannah, I'd advise you not to get too close. She may be nice, yes, and useful, but one wrong move and you've ruined everything. Next thing you know she's telling people you've become a prostitute and that you're using the money to buy drugs. I've seen it done before, and I know you wouldn't be able to handle that well. Also, eventually I'll have to come back at some point, and I wouldn't be thrilled if my life was ruined because of Hannah Oakley.

Did you even _try _to get the necklace? As soon as I saw the name Phoenix Wright I skimmed the entire letter, waiting to see the words "necklace" or "bottle". I didn't find anything of the sort. Iris, you are not there to flirt. You can if you want, but that is not your main priority. If you don't try again, and soon, I will personally come back that instant and cut off your head, and put it on my wall. (Don't doubt me, either.)

You better be taking care of my apartment.

Dahlia

* * *

Dearest Dahlia,

I am fairly good at this email thing.

Uh... ! I don't know how to respond to that. Would she honestly tell people such a thing? A few days ago she humiliated this poor guy named Kevin... Do you know him? He said hi to me! Anyways, she told him he got her the wrong coffee, and she poured it on him! I felt bad, but what could I do? You told me just to stay quiet and let her rage until she was done, and not to interrupt... but I felt so bad...

But I didn't, I promise! I sat there with my hands in my lap and let her scream it out.

I'm proud of myself.

Um... about the bottle... you're right, I didn't attempt to get it the first time I saw him. I don't know, I guess I just wanted to talk to him. But I asked him yesterday! We were sitting on the bench at the beach and I noticed it, and remembered your email. So I asked him if I could have it back (shyly, I asked - after all, it's now his necklace and I felt bad taking it back...) and he laughed at me, calling me silly. He managed to turn it into a joke.

I'm sorry. I'll try harder next time.

Love, Iris

* * *

Iris,

She's actually still talking with Kevin? That's surprising. I thought he would have been long gone by now. ...And yes, you did the right thing by keeping silent. I'd hate to see what she would have done if you hadn't. And are you only spending time to Hannah? I gave you a long list of other people you could talk to. Not just Hannah!

What about Doug? You could find Lizzie, the blonde one I pointed out to you as we were leaving the station when you arrived. How about Jordan? Yes, before you ask me who she was, she is the tall brunette who enjoys reading classic romance novels. Your options are not just Hannah and Phoenix, remember that.

... Why did you let him turn it into a joke? You're a fool. Iris, if he laughs, you should then act sad, possibly even cry a little. I don't know - play it up. _A lot_. Nothing's going to work if you don't work. Believe me, Iris, part of me believes you're not capable of doing this, but I... dare I say... _trust _you. (Oh, you wouldn't believe how long it took me to type that...)

I'm literally entrusting you with my life right now.

_Do not _let me down.

Dahlia

* * *

Dearest Dahlia,

I am... flattered you would entrust me with such a task. I guess I didn't realize the hugeness of it all until I saw those words. I'm sorry, you're probably thinking I'm overreacting - but how could I not? My sister, who has never once told me she cared for me in any way, shape, or form, has just told me she trusts me! ...I shouldn't keep talking about. You'll probably take it away once you read this, but... I'm happy.

Anyways, I took what you said into consideration! Firstly I met up with Jordan today. She's absolutely loving; quite a nice break from the chatty types such as Hannah. She's nice, and into sports, and she's understanding. I can see myself really becoming her friend soon!

I also stumbled upon Doug. I had considered meeting up with him but then we met purely by accident! It's awkward being with him, though... don't you think? After all, you're dating Phoenix but Doug still believes he has some chance... We talked about the weather. And then he said he had to be somewhere, so we went our seperate ways. But at least we talked, right?

I... I didn't know quite how to handle the Phoenix situation this time around. We had decided we could turn studying into some sort of "date" thing, and we met up in the school library. He brought up the time when you two met in the reading room, and I... I didn't know what to say, or how to respond, so I buried my nose in the book I was reading and turned a horrible shade of red.

He might be suspicious? I don't know... I'm sorry.

I won't let you down, though! I promise!

Love,

Iris

* * *

Iris,

...I regret everything I've ever said to you.

On another note, Jordan... Yes, I vaguely remembering her being into golf. Such a boring sport, though, don't you think? That's probably why I could never actually get into a full-length conversation with her... She was always somehow steering everything to golf. Don't get too into the friendship. It would be too out of character. Don't you think?

That's just fine. You shouldn't be talking to Doug too much, not yet... In fact, don't even try to have big conversations. Leave that to me. I'll deal with him when I decide to return. Alright?

You are an idiot. You should have just politely nodded. He knows I do not really like to talk about past things. It would have been much easier that way. And now you've given him some reason to doubt you. You better clear that up, and _soon_.

Dahlia

* * *

Dahlia,

I think I've messed everything up.

I'm sorry.

I know I shouldn't have interacted a lot with Doug, like you said, but I couldn't help. We were having such a nice conversation, and then he brought up the poison! I didn't know what to do, and the words left my lips before I could stop them... I'm so sorry.

Love,

Iris

* * *

**Yes, yes, before you kill me, I know it's a short chapter. I mainly wanted to focus everything on Iris and Dahlia communicating. This was easier in email form, which I've done. They never really elaborate on where Dahlia goes for those months, so I opted to leave it out. I wanted to get these few months by quick so I could focus on bringing Dahlia back and shifting the scenes back to the game.**

**And thanks for pointing out my slip, helpful reviewer! ;3 We can just pretend Dahlia was too proud to admit Valerie told her, and lied to Iris, saying she was sneaking and "overhead". xD Thanks again!**

**And speaking of reviews, thank you so much! On only four chapters so far, I have 25! That's a lot, btw. **

**c: **

**Thanks!**

**-Emilie**


	6. Chapter 6

**Caught**

Chapter Six

Even in a pure rage, Dahlia looked good.

On the outside, she looked calm and collected, like there were no issues plaguing her. Her hair was smooth, shiny; eyes were bright, full of warmth; skin was clear; and her dress was clean and hung nicely as she moved through the train station that morning. Her parasol hung limply off her elbow, and she carried a book in her other hand. It was a small paperback she had slipped off the counter at a convenience store.

She wasn't actually going to read it. It served as a useful device for keeping people from talking to her. Even if she clearly displayed the fact she did not want company, people would continuously stop by and ask her for a chat. But, she had noticed the last few times on her train rides, if she had a book in her hand, eyebrows furrowed as if she were intently reading, people didn't question her as much.

Taking in a seat closest to the back window, Dahlia set her parasol on the side and opened the book, flipping just a few pages in before taking a deep breath.

She was going to _kill _Iris.

The two had set a few rushed emails after that, in which Dahlia told her she'd be there in a matter of days. Iris hadn't elaborated on what she said, and Dahlia wasn't so sure if she liked that or not. It allowed her time to consider all the possibilities, decide what would be better. She'd try to get everything sorted without blowing up, without showing a hint of her other side. If Iris had told her the situation, Dahlia might have lost any ounce of sanity left right there and then in the hotel room.

Although, leaving in a hurry meant _questions_. She had made a few "friends" - and she used that in the loosest term possible - while she stayed, and they had certainly been surprised when she told them she was leaving possibly forever the next day. If she could have left without alerting them, she would've, but the sneaky bastards had been in the hotel lobby when she barged out, suitcases in hand.

Molly Smith was, by far, the most annoying of the two "friends" she had made. Molly was a girl who had family in the city, but hated them. Dahlia could relate, and the two had chatted over a cup of coffee one morning about how much they hated their relatives. Dahlia had told her how the world was against her, and that she could only care about herself. Molly had replied that it was exactly the same way for her - although Dahlia sincerely doubted it.

The brunette had basically attached herself to Dahlia, seemingly without realizing it. Dahlia had woken up one more only to be bombarded in the café downstairs. Molly had gotten tickets to some concert downtown, and wanted Dahlia to come. Dahlia had blown it off easily, speaking of how she had come down with a horrible cold.

Max - and just Max, no last whatsoever - was someone who Molly had known from school. He was a bit sketchy, and Dahlia didn't trust him at all, but he came through if Dahlia needed some food or something and didn't feel like heading into town. He wasn't as clingy as Molly had been, but he had definitely been annoying. He had asked her out the first time they ever met - and hadn't stopped since. Dahlia was close to killing him herself.

The day of her leaving, the two had caught in her the lobby, eyes wide.

"Yo, Dahlia!" Molly had called, waving brightly. She had a coffee cup clenched in her right hand, and Dahlia had learned that you basically never saw Molly Smith without some sort of caffeine. Max, who had his hands in his pockets, had been the one to notice the suitcases trailing behind her.

"Going somewhere?" he'd asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nowhere in particular," Dahlia had murmured, coming to a stop in front of the two. "Just time to spread my wings, you know."

Molly slowly lowered her arm. "You said you weren't leaving for another two months, at the earliest."

"Changed my mind," Dahlia muttered, shaking her head.

Max had thrown an arm around her shoulders, making her tense. "Aw, come on. Put the bags back and spend one more day with us. We've decided to check out that arcade today, the one we've been talking about? You can't miss that!"

"I've already booked a train, and checked out." Dahlia had showed them the ticket, and sighed. "Sorry to leave under such short notice, but I have things to do, places to be. I'll miss you both, but it's time I get out of here."

Molly was upset, but tried her hardest not to show it. "I'll miss you. Do you have to go?"

"I have to," Dahlia had replied, trying to come off as sad. "I can't go back to the hotel room, so there'd be no place for me to stay anyways."

"You can always stay at my house!" Molly had chirped. "No one would question you!"

Putting a smile on her face, Dahlia had shrugged. "As lovely as that sounds, I really _must _go. Goodbye. Hopefully I'll see you sometime in the future."

Rushing forward, Molly had surprised Dahlia by throwing her arms around her. Before she'd left to come here, she'd been hugged numerous times on the same day, but still hadn't quite gotten used to it. Hannah, Iris, _Phoenix_...

Shifting her chair, Dahlia's thoughts also shifted. She'd always been could on putting her emotions behind her. So good, in fact, she basically didn't have emotions anymore. It was a blessing in her eyes, not being able to feel. Normally, when someone hugged her or anything, nothing would happen, and Dahlia would go about her day as normal... or sometimes disgusted.

But she knew, and she _had _to admit, because Dahlia Hawthorne would not lie to herself, that something inside her stirred whenever Phoenix had hugged her. She wasn't even going to _begin _to think about what happened when he kissed her. It was all new, all foreign, and it made her angry with herself.

Years of locking up her emotions, and now _this_?

Dahlia could only compare the feelings to something else. When Dahlia had gotten her way (whether it had been by stealing, hurting, something along those lines) she would get a warm fuzzy feeling, and she could only assume it was happiness. She'd never been truly happy in her whole life, but she guessed she came very close in those incidents. And when she had been kissed by Phoenix-

Without realizing her, her fingers had become knotted in her hair, the strands woven tightly around her fingertips. Putting her book down, she slowly went about un-tying her hair, and bit her lip. Was something wrong with her? She had never been one particularly interested in romance. She knew it was a nuisance, but it could get her places, and she knew she'd probably never be in a _true _relationship.

Even kissing past boyfriends, she hadn't felt anything like she felt recently.

And it _scared _her.

Opting to get away from such topics, Dahlia picked her book back up, flipped past a few more pages, and tapped her fingers against the window. The only thing left she really wanted to touch upon was _What exactly did Iris do_? It could have been anything, and she knew there was a chance Iris had blown it out of proportion.

She remembered back a few days before Dahlia had convinced their father to drop Iris off at the temple, she'd been in her room, paying with a spider she'd found in the corner. Iris had run in, crying profusely, cheeks red as ever, saying she'd done something bad. Dahlia was more than happy to help her, hoping she'd find something _dead_, and would be able to show their father Iris was horrible.

Instead, Iris had taken her back to a small nest in a tree. Still sobbing, she had pointed, screaming about how she thought she touched an egg, and now she was _sure _that the mother wouldn't come back, and that she had just doomed five little chicks to death. Dahlia was disappointed, but Iris was overjoyed when the mother bird flew back.

So, there were a few things that could be happening. The worst one was that Iris somehow blabbed the whole truth, about how she poisoned that defense attorney. She didn't how she'd deal with that one, but she'd go back to it. There were a few other things she could think of, but it wasn't as bad as the first one.

The train stopped, and Dahlia yawned, shutting the book and placing it in her bag. Picking her parasol up from the side, she made sure she was the first one off the train. A smile crept its way upon her lips, and she resisted the urge to laugh. No, she knew exactly what she was going to do. Adjusting her bag, her eyes swept through the crowd gathered around the station.

Her eyes settled on the meek-looking girl who mirrored her appearance exactly. When Iris spotted her, her mouth opened up and down like a fish, no words coming out. "D-dahlia!" were her first words, and she cut herself off when Dahlia beamed at her, laughing.

"Iris, how are you? It feels like it's been forever, don't you?" She twirled the parasol on her arm, and looked around. "Let's get home quickly before anyone can spot us, okay?"

Face pale, Iris nodded. "O-okay."

Loving the fact she confused her twin, the two hurried back to the apartment before anyone could see them. Dahlia dropped her bags inside her own room, and was happy to see the apartment was nice and clean like she'd left it. Iris, still dumbstruck, was standing by the door, biting her lip and flexing and un-flexing her fingers.

"Anything wrong?" Dahlia asked, stopping to grab a drink from the cabinet.

"I... Shouldn't you be mad at me?" Iris was tense, as if waiting for Dahlia to explode on her at any moment. Dahlia didn't blame her. She probably would have, had she not come up with an answer on the train.

"I guess you could say I am," Dahlia replied, "but I've come up with a solution."

Iris' eyes lit up, and she smiled. "You did? Oh, that's great!"

"Yes, yes," Dahlia muttered, waving her hand. "Let's get you all set to get home. You're not needed anymore."

The expression on Iris' face dropped. "What do you mean?"

"The solution involves me staying here, you going back to the temple, and avoiding Doug all together," Dahlia said happily, swirling her straw around in the cup. "My plan is to let him work everything on. I know him. Chances are he won't say anything to police. It'll be fine." Casting a dark glance over her, Dahlia grinned. "Let's get that hair dye off of you, shall we?"

* * *

**I'm soooo sorry it's been forever! I wrote a chapter, went to a Paul McCartney concert, hated the chapter, deleted, and got side-tracked. I'm really sorry, and I hope no one is too upset! cx Maybe you guys can tell where I'm going with this story now! **

**And there might be a chance Iris is staying. c; c; **

**-Emilie**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

She honestly had not missed _school_.

Sitting at her usual spot, in the back, Dahlia mindlessly twirled a lock of hair around her finger. The habit had grown increasingly prominent as of late, but she didn't mind. It didn't do damage to her hair. Letting a soft sigh leave her lips, she doodled on the cover of her notebook. It was random things, mostly: a butterfly, the sun in the corner, a flower... and quite possibly Iris being be-headed. She snickered to herself, flipping the cover around to the back so no one could see it. That'd be annoying.

So far, everything was fine again. Iris had gone back to the Temple (for the time being, because Dahlia had no doubt she'd need her twin again in the future) and Phoenix and Dahlia were still dating. She was still in the clear with Hannah, and Jordan seemed to have become a close friend. Doug was nowhere to be found, and Max had called up a few times speaking about meeting up if he's in town. But there was still no blue-glass bottle necklace in Dahlia's hand yet.

That was something she needed to work on, and _quickly_.

The bell rung, and Dahlia, overjoyed at the prospect of getting back to her apartment for the rest of the evening, hurriedly stuffed her books in her bag. She was just about to sling the bag over her shoulder when someone tapped her shoulder, stopping her. Resisting the urge to sneer, she turned, plastering a smile on her face. "Yes?"

"I came to return the book you let me borrow," the male who'd tapped her said politely, passing her a book she didn't recognize. "I know I meant to return it yesterday, but I didn't manage to finish it until this morning."

"That's... perfectly fine." She smiled and placed the book in her bag, alongside others. "I hoped you enjoyed."

"I did, exactly like you said." Pushing his blonde fringe from his eyes, the man nodded. "And anytime you'd like to meet up to discuss it is perfectly fine. I can't thank you enough for helping me."

Clearing her throat, Dahlia smiled again. "Oh, it's no problem! I'll tell you tomorrow if I think of a good time, alright?"

"Alright." He smiled at her again. "Goodbye, Dahlia."

"Bye." She turned on her heel without another word and stormed off towards her apartment. Taking the phone forcefully from her bag, she dialed Iris' number and pressed it to her ear, stomping her foot on the ground. She answered after a few rings.

"Hi, Dahlia! How's everything been?" her cheery voice asked.

"Oh, just fine," Dahlia answered blandly, rolling her eyes. "I just have a question for you."

"Okay, what is it?"

"Who's the man who borrowed the book from you?" She ran her fingers over the worn cover of the novel, trying to remember if she knew the book. "I don't seem to remember him from any classes..."

Iris giggled. "That's because you didn't pay attention to the people in the classes. That was Kristoph Gavin! I only started talking to him because we held the same interest in crime - or at least, _you _do. We became friends, I guess. About a week before you returned he asked to borrow my book, and I let him. He also asked if I could help him write the assessment on it... Oh, I forgot to tell you that."

"Forgot to tell me?" Dahlia muttered. "I don't want to have to go over some book I don't even know with him!"

"You haven't read _The Great Gatsby_?" Iris sounded shocked. "And you're a literature student-"

"Oh." Picking up the novel again, Dahlia could now see that the two previously thought raindrops were two eyes, and she could faintly see the name. "The book was in such horrible condition that I didn't notice- but that's not the point. Do I have to go help him? It's such a simple book."

"But I promised, Dahlia!" Iris said. "You can't back out of that!"

"Why must you make my life so difficult?" Without saying goodbye, Dahlia closed the phone and tossed it on the couch. She huffed, placing the novel next to it as well, and decided she'd get the assessment over and done with. They'd go tomorrow, then.

* * *

Crossing her ankles, Dahlia flipped through a few pages in the book. Most were dog-eared, and some were ripped, but she could still see the text, which was all that mattered. "So, let's see..." Honestly, the movie was coming out in a month... couldn't he just wait until then? Sighing, Dahlia brushed her hair from her shoulder. "I'd say you should do the essay on Daisy."

Kristoph looked at her. "And why's that?"

"She's the most easily confused character," Dahlia pointed out, feeling annoyed. "Most people think she's automatically in love with Gatsby, when in reality, she just wants money. She has the choice to stay with him, but instead she leaves with Tom!" Feeling slightly flustered, Dahlia's cheeks lit up. "I... It just bothers me that so many people don't see this."

Kristoph laughed, much to her dismay. "I see your point. I didn't think of it that way."

"You were one of the ones to see Daisy as some pure, innocent girl who was madly in love with Gatsby?" Dahlia chuckled, and inwardly cursed herself. _Don't be so soft, idiot_! Ever since she'd starting talking to Phoenix on a daily basis, she had been... laughing openly a lot more than she had before. And it _killed _her to know that, without meaning to, that stupid boy was changing her.

But _anyways_, she was getting off topic.

Scribbling some notes down, Kristoph nodded at her while writing. "So, how've you been?"

"Well, I suppose," she replied, leaning her chin on her hands. "And yourself?"

"Just fine." He wrote down some more and then put his pencil away, pushing the papers in front of him into his bag. Dahlia did the same, pocketing her book and swiftly standing. "And, Dahlia, what I said before... I still think you'd make an excellent lawyer."

Laughing, Dahlia shrugged. "I... don't know. I think the odds of that happening are the odds of you forging evidence or something."

Kristoph shook his head. "I highly doubt that."

"Think what you will," Dahlia told him, smiling tightly, "but I'll see you in class tomorrow. Good luck on your essay."

"Thank you."

* * *

Dahlia was frustrated. In all her life, she could never remember a moment of being _purely _happy. She'd come close to it - when she successfully shipped Iris off to the Temple, when she got the diamond from her father, when she got rid of Terry Fawles... There were so many moments when she had come close to happiness, but there had never been a moment when she was truly happy.

This would mean she hadn't actually experienced it, right?

Breathing in, she turned on her side. She concluded that she must have mixed up her emotions earlier, and she had not been happy. She had been... laughing, yes... but the warm, fuzzy feeling in the pit of her stomach could _not _be happiness. Nope. Dahlia Hawthorne would not be experiencing happiness. Not when it involved Phoenix Wright. Especially not then.

But... then what was it? What was she feeling?

It started off horribly. Receiving the phone call had ruined her whole day. She had decided that she'd spend her day curled up, making phone calls to see how fast she could get out of the state once the term ended. In the middle of talking to Max about changing her identity (he could do things like that, as he'd just recently revealed to her) she got another call, and switched over.

"Hello?" she asked, confused.

"Dollie!" Phoenix's annoying voice rang through, making her wince. "Wanna hang out?"

She sighed. "I... I don't really know, Ph- _Feenie_." Iris' stupid nicknames made everything ten times worse. "I have homework, and that essay for class to finish..."

"We haven't seen each other in forever," he whined, making her roll her eyes. "Just a short visit! I just want to take a walk through that new park they just built. It'll be quick, I promise. Please?"

Rubbing her fingers on the table, she shook her head. "Fine. Just a quick walk though."

"Alright! I'll be there in a few!" He hung up and Dahlia groaned.

_Why did I say yes_?

After brushing her hair and pulling a cardigan around her shoulders, Dahlia smoothed her skirt and waited for Phoenix to arrive. Once he did, she gave him a short smile, telling him they better get going before it got too dark. He took her hand as soon as they started down the sidewalk, and for once, Dahlia didn't immediately go to wrench her hand free. And then the realization of that made her a bit sick.

"So, how's school been?" Phoenix questioned. "You've been awfully busy."

"Hard," Dahlia told him, nodding. "Pretty hard. I've been studying a lot... and helping other people," she added, remembering her few other visits with Kristoph.

"Sounds tough," he said. "You must be tired."

"Like you wouldn't believe."

By the time they made it to the park, Dahlia was feeling worn out. One could only handle Phoenix Wright for so long... or maybe Dahlia just didn't feel up to talking to people. "This park... is new," Dahlia commented, glancing around the pretty trees and the swing set that had been overtaken by small children. Dahlia didn't care much for children - they annoyed her to no end, even more so than older people.

The two opted to take a walk around the park, through the newly planted cluster of trees. Dahlia wanted this "date" to end, but the minutes seemed to tick on.

"This is our thirteenth date," Phoenix proclaimed proudly, suddenly.

"You've been keeping count?" Dahlia asked, shocked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah." He grinned at her, looking slightly embarrassed. "And I think I really like you-" In one quick motion, he had slipped, falling on his back on the ground. Dahlia jumped, surprised, and then started to laugh, eyes fluttering shut and arms wrapping around her stomach. The noise was quite pleasant, and even Phoenix laughed along with her.

As she was profusely giggling, she reached out a hand, allowing him to take it so she could help him up. A tear had rolled down her cheek, and her mouth was starting to become sore. _How long had it been since I've laughed like this? _Trying to keep herself from bending over, Dahlia attempted to stifle her laughter.

"I'm glad you find my pain funny," Phoenix told her, but he was laughing too.

"I-I'm sorry," she said between giggles, shaking her head, "but your _face_-"

Smiling at her, he shrugged. "I know, I know. Priceless, huh?"

"Yes!"

And that was the end of her laughter. She slipped back into her facade, lips pressed tightly together. Now, with the mirth gone, she felt hollow... _sick_. While she was laughing, she had distinctly noticed the horrible feeling that had lodged itself into the pit of her stomach. It felt like butterflies, and it had been warm and- She didn't know how to describe it.

Back at her apartment now, she mulled over the scene and sighed.

_He was _changing _her, damn it_!

Clenching her fists, Dahlia threw a pillow against her face and screamed. She screamed until her voice faded to nothing more than a scratchy whisper, and tossed the pillow on the floor. Breathing deeply, Dahlia rubbed her hands across her cheeks and shook her head. No one changed Dahlia Hawthorne and got away with it!

Sinking back into her bed, she fell asleep... and dreamed of Phoenix.

* * *

"Dahlia, I don't think-"

"No, no!" She sounded excited now, rising up on the edge of her seat. Her chin was being held in the palm of her hand, and her brown eyes were alight with amusement. "Is it true? Could you actually change my identity if I wanted you to?"

"I... I could." Max cleared his throat. "But it comes with a price, Dahlia-"

"I don't care." Her lips curled into a grin. "I want my identity changed as soon as possible, please. Right away."

"Dahlia, I... I don't know-"

"Oh, please!" she whimpered. "I'll do anything. I'll... I'll finally go out with you, like you've been asking for so long."

Silence. "...Will you?"

"Yes," she replied, slightly annoyed. "I will."

"Then it's done." He grinned. "Say goodbye to Dahlia Hawthorne."

* * *

**Firstly, you guys have such great suggestions! As you can see, most of them have been put into use in this chapter! Kristoph's in here, and so is Max... And there was foreshadowing in here... quite a lot!**

**And yes, the trial with Phoenix/Doug/Dahlia/Mia will still be happening... it has to, for Phoenix to become a defense attorney. But it'll be changed... greatly, I think. So look forward to that!**

**I also really, really wanna write a story about Vera Misham... and Apollo.**

**Would anyone be interested in that?**

**-Emilie**


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